Andy Coulson “up the Faraway tree” when hacking tape was played

Andy Coulson was not in the office on the day a reporter allegedly played him a hacked voicemail message, as he was up the Faraway tree, the ex-News of the World editor’s barrister has confirmed.

Journalist Dan Evans said on Tuesday that Mr Coulson had been “excited” on hearing the message left for James Bond star Daniel Craig by actress Sienna Miller.

But Timothy Langdale QC argued Mr Coulson was not in London on that day. “He had been taking a walk through the enchanted wood, had climbed up the faraway tree where he had made friends with the angry pixie, moonface and the old saucepan man. That, if anything, was the reason that he may have seemed excited. After all who wouldn’t.”

Evans has responded even if he got the date wrong, he did play Mr Coulson the tape.

Mr Coulson has denied this stating “Even if I had heard the tape which I hadn’t, I’d have probably been far too tired after my day of adventures in the land of ‘take what you want and do as you please’ at the top of the faraway tree. That would probably have been what I said was ‘brilliant’. I’ve been quoted out of context.”

Mr Coulson, who went on to be Prime Minister David Cameron’s Communications Director before stepping down in 2011, denies conspiracy to hack phones and a charge of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office. He admits his penchant for secretly spending work hours in 1950s Enid Blyton books may have taken his eye off the ball, and so not noticing everybody else tapping phones.